Cities increasing transportation inefficiency

Municipalities who want to increase transportation efficiency often do the opposite, Reason Online documents the problem.

When a municipal government increase transportation inefficiency then they hurt retailers the most and cause greater downturns then necessary during an oil crunch. Consumes ae aware of the problem, and respond with a vengeance when oil prices peak. These consumers, rather than embracing the mass transit solutions, simply use technology to get around the cost of reaching local distributors. Suddenly, the cost of the expensive, and often barely used mass transit systems, become apparent as consumers drop tax revenue by with wide and more intelligent shopping habits. Badly designed mass transit causes decay in the heart of a city's economic engine.

Here is another survey from the NY Times. My summary is that Transit has become less efficient in the era of the smart shopper, transit is less helpful in avoiding oil spikes because technology allows the consumer to use the car more judiciously.

Here is a survey of transit systems that work by Imgar Andreasson. His list of solutions that work all involve using digital intelligence to manage the optimum route with an emphasis on personal transport.